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Dear Rutgers graduates . . .

In scrambling to save face over Eric LeGrand commencement fiasco, Rutgers president Robert Barchi said it was never his intention to have just one speaker. So if Barchi is going open mic, there are a few things I’d like to tell the grads. He should listen as well.

Graduates,

As you go out into the world, I want to say a few words about the value of leadership. Unfortunately you have learned some of these lessons the hard way over the past year. As you know better than most, the absence of leadership deflates as much as its presence inspires.

Let me start by explaining what leadership is not.

Leadership is not hiding behind bureaucrat-speak such as “failure of process” when things go wrong on your watch.

Leadership is not throwing good people under the bus because they made one mistake in judgment.

Leadership is recognizing reality and dealing with it, not trying to bend the truth to suit your agenda.

Poor leadership is everywhere, unfortunately, and the results are predictable: Low morale, finger-pointing, and saddest of all, underachievement. Great leadership is harder to find, but it’s awesome when you find it.

You are fortunate today, graduates, to have a shining example right on this stage. Back in September, Eric LeGrand had his uniform number retired at your football stadium. You will never hear a crowd of 50,000 people hush like it did on that sun-splashed Saturday, as LeGrand spoke during halftime. I’ve never seen a crowd of reporters so respectful as the one that circled him afterward.

Eric launched a fundraising initiative for spinal-cord research. Listen to his words: “There are 1.5 million people that are paralyzed or have some type of spinal cord injury and people don’t know about them. I’m their voice, their face so they can get that recognition.”

I am their voice. I am their face.

That is leadership.

Leadership is understanding the people you represent—their needs, hopes and fears.

Leadership is knowing that every word, every action has an impact. That people are looking to you to do the right thing, not the politically convenient thing.

Leadership is about overcoming adversity, not creating it or ignoring it.

Leadership is recognizing, not marginalizing, the precious resources in your midst.

Leadership is telling the truth, even if it hurts.

Leadership is giving people a reason to believe, not a reason to shake their heads in disbelief.

John Quincy Adams said, “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.”

The world is yours, leaders of tomorrow. Don’t settle for miscommunications and failures of process. Like Eric LeGrand, you can do better than that. Much better.

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About the Author

Jerry Carino has covered sports for the Gannett New Jersey newspapers since 1996 and has been on the college basketball beat since 2003. A native of Old Bridge, he also teaches journalism at Kean University.Email Jerry.